Lębork Castle

Lębork Castle stands at ul. Przyzamcze 2 in Lębork, in western Pomerania in the Pomeranian region of Poland. The Teutonic Order built the brick Gothic castle in the 14th century, with construction beginning in 1363 under Grand Master Winrich von Kniprode, to guard the border with the lands of the Dukes of Pomerania and the route along the Łeba river. It is a rectangular building with a courtyard, corner towers and a defensive tower facing the town. After the Thirteen Years' War the castle passed to the Pomeranian dukes, and in the 16th century Duke Bogislaw X and later dukes used it as a seat. After 1637 it came to Poland, and from the 17th century it was used by Polish starosts. In 1772 it passed to Prussia, and later in the 19th century it was used as an administrative and school building. The castle was damaged by fire and wars and is now partially rebuilt. In the modern period it has served as a cultural and hotel venue, with sections of the walls and towers visible from outside. The preserved elements include the tower, parts of the walls and the courtyard form. The exterior can be viewed freely, and interior spaces are used for events and by other users, so access varies. The site shows the Gothic military architecture of the Teutonic Order in the western part of Pomerania, near the border with the Pomeranian duchy. Nearby, the town of Lębork has an old town with a Gothic church and a part of the medieval walls. Visitors typically combine the castle with the Lębork old town or with a trip toward Łeba and the coast.